Someone asked me yesterday why if somebody else is doing the house renovation for us how come we still work so hard in the evening and the weekends. It made me smile, it was asked by someone who hasn't been through a house renovation before and he will be going through one soon. He's going to be in for an adventure...
In theory it is possible to go through one with very little disruption to ones daily living, with lots of forward planning and if you move out. Or if you have a high budget that every little detail can be done for you by somebody else. This is rarely the case though, us included. For one we have pets to tend to and they can't be relocated whilst work is ongoing, and this is reason enough for us to remain in situ whilst the house is turned upside down.
I was about to sit down and extol the virtues of late summer/early autumn in our garden (especially of a particular place that is looking so good to my eyes at least, in an unlikely part of the garden) last night when the tiler gave us a call saying that he will start work in the house the next day. Which means we had to prepare and clear out parts of the house ASAP, starting with the conservatory and the kitchen.
First things first, we had to return 200 travertine stone tiles back to where we originally got them from. This pile of stone tiles were the biggest clutter in the kitchen and it had to go last night. We bought them a couple of months ago and they were supposed to be used for both areas but since then we have changed the design and they were no longer appropriate for use. Fortunately the retailer were happy to take them back but with them being only open till 8pm it meant it was a frantic shifting of heavy stones into the car and out again once we reached the shop. Talk about having an impromptu work out!
A quick bite to eat afterwards, we needed it for there were loads more to do for the rest of the evening. Second big task, shift the fish tank upstairs. Now this one I found more stressful than shifting stones, not so much for the physical labour but for the thought of the stress that we'll be putting on to the tropical fish in the process of shifting their heavy tank. They had to be caught one by one, chucked in a bucket, tank emptied of rocks/plants/driftwood/filter/water, tank carried upstairs, refilled, and fish put back in again....
It's not only the humans that undergo stress when their house are renovated, I think more so for the pets!
So fish tank gone to where it doesn't normally (and ideally should not) live but at least it's now out of the way, what's next? The fridge! That was shifted to the lounge but the journey to get there was not that easy...
By the time we finished and ready to settle down it was half past midnight. Then there's the early start for work the next day. Sounds intense? This level of activity is just typical for us at the moment but we're getting there.
I'm smiling as I write this, the madness and gladness of it all! I thought doing garden projects were intense, but not as intense as having your home renovated even if you're not doing most of the work yourself.
And you know what else makes blogging tricky at the moment? When you have to move pots and pans away from the desk to be able to use the computer.
Mark :-)
In theory it is possible to go through one with very little disruption to ones daily living, with lots of forward planning and if you move out. Or if you have a high budget that every little detail can be done for you by somebody else. This is rarely the case though, us included. For one we have pets to tend to and they can't be relocated whilst work is ongoing, and this is reason enough for us to remain in situ whilst the house is turned upside down.
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| Not the latest and so much progress has gone on since this photo was taken but this is the only unpublished photo of the back of the house I could currently find on our picasa account. |
First things first, we had to return 200 travertine stone tiles back to where we originally got them from. This pile of stone tiles were the biggest clutter in the kitchen and it had to go last night. We bought them a couple of months ago and they were supposed to be used for both areas but since then we have changed the design and they were no longer appropriate for use. Fortunately the retailer were happy to take them back but with them being only open till 8pm it meant it was a frantic shifting of heavy stones into the car and out again once we reached the shop. Talk about having an impromptu work out!
A quick bite to eat afterwards, we needed it for there were loads more to do for the rest of the evening. Second big task, shift the fish tank upstairs. Now this one I found more stressful than shifting stones, not so much for the physical labour but for the thought of the stress that we'll be putting on to the tropical fish in the process of shifting their heavy tank. They had to be caught one by one, chucked in a bucket, tank emptied of rocks/plants/driftwood/filter/water, tank carried upstairs, refilled, and fish put back in again....
It's not only the humans that undergo stress when their house are renovated, I think more so for the pets!
So fish tank gone to where it doesn't normally (and ideally should not) live but at least it's now out of the way, what's next? The fridge! That was shifted to the lounge but the journey to get there was not that easy...
By the time we finished and ready to settle down it was half past midnight. Then there's the early start for work the next day. Sounds intense? This level of activity is just typical for us at the moment but we're getting there.
I'm smiling as I write this, the madness and gladness of it all! I thought doing garden projects were intense, but not as intense as having your home renovated even if you're not doing most of the work yourself.
And you know what else makes blogging tricky at the moment? When you have to move pots and pans away from the desk to be able to use the computer.
Mark :-)
This gardening blog follows our journey as we create our Tropical and Exotic themed garden. We hope you'll enjoy the journey as much as we do. We started our Exotic Garden in 2005 and this site will show its development, as well as our travels, both abroad and within the UK to gardens, nurseries and friends.
Good luck! All these things seem so easy on paper but are so stressful. Keep focused on the end!
ReplyDeleteThanks Clive! Easy on paper but yes there's more to it than meets the eye. Quite an adventure but the end result is something to look forward to.
DeleteI feel your pain, LOL.. Doug and I did a major renovation of our home ten years ago while living in the house. We added an entire second floor on top of our small ranch house as well as adding a 16 x 20 foot room off the kitchen in the back of the house. It was a major shuffle to get things out of the way of the contractors yet still having the space to live. We still haven't done the kitchen but that will happen at some point too.
ReplyDeleteThanks Deanne! It feels like a puzzle sometimes, shuffling things about to accomodate whatever work needs to be done, and not always in the order you'd expect. Hopefully you guys will get your kitchen done soon :)
DeleteThe thing is it is amazing how quickly you forget about the hassle dust etc. We have done it about 4 times and always say 'never again' lol! Its all worth it in the end x
ReplyDeleteThanks Libby! We've done some minor renovations before too, and yes it's enough to forget the mess once everything settles again.
DeleteWith the tile going down things should start getting back in place soon and you can begin to enjoy your new spaces.
ReplyDeleteYour friend will see soon enough that it's not only preparing for the scheduled work, but sometimes the tiler (electrician, plumber or whomever) will add to the chaos by calling on the appointed day to say he has been delayed.
Oh, and a contractor's idea of site clean-up isn't at all the same as yours.
Thanks Shirley, and how true! We've also discovered that one disadvantage of getting work done in the summer here is that some workers go on holiday too which adds some delay to the project. And site clean up, definitely a job of the owner...
DeleteI have always heard to move out during renovations, if possible. What a crazy zoo it must feel like sometimes! I do think it's hardest on pets. They can't understand the scheduling, and all that is needed to do before and afterward, either. But it will all be worth it in the end. Just try to hold on to your sanity a while longer! :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Holley! Moving is possibly the best option especially if the work is very extensive but is not always feasible. And yes it seems it's hardest on the pets indeed, with their environment changing all the time and so many different people constantly going in and out of the house. It'll all be worth it in the end :)
DeleteSounds familiar! We had a room added onto our house when we lived back east, and it was a similar level of upheaval. Then of course there was the move across the country, which was a completely different kettle of fish.
ReplyDeleteSimilar experience indeed Alison :) Mind you, with such a full on renovation it does feel like we're moving or just moved houses as well.
DeleteDespite the turmoil, it sounds as though you're making steady progress. I think the personal investment of time and effort also contributes to your sense of accomplishment upon completion. Best wishes with the next stages!
ReplyDeleteThanks Kris! Makes the coming autumn and winter extra interesting too, we should be at the 'polishing' stage by then :)
DeleteWell at least life is never boring :) Have some idea of what you are going through as we built our own house with himself doing a lot of the labouring. Most stressful at times but great fun was had along the way. Himself want to do it again!
ReplyDeleteThanks Anna! And how great to be able to build your own house too! It is fun in its own way, and despite the chaos at times, most of the time we actually find ourselves enjoying the process (although we can't wait to finish it off too).
DeleteOnly you would find gladness in the madness, and endearing quality, for sure.
ReplyDeleteLovely words Ricki, thank you!
DeleteI'm glad it's you and not me. I know how much is involved in moving and setting up a tropical fish tank. That alone would be more than enough without everything else. Lucky it's summer I suppose. It will all be worth it in the end I'm sure.
ReplyDeleteIndeed Missy! We got the timing right and I'm glad the weather has been cooperating with us.
DeleteJust no broken bones okay? Something about this post gave me a flash back to when we had our bathroom and kitchen floors replaced and I didn't walk for 6 weeks after that. Be careful!
ReplyDeleteThanks Loree :) We'll try our best! So far so good.
DeleteIt's looking wonderful! I am really enjoying your updates. It's making me want to start a renovation (long overdue) for the back of my house. I have always wanted a conservatory. Thanks for the inspiration. You are wonderfully cheerful! Best wishes. Karen
ReplyDeleteThank you for the lovely words Karen, much appreciated :) Hopefully you'll get a conservatory soon, so worth it!
DeleteYou guys seem to have endless energy! Just think how wonderful it will be when everything is finished and you can have an evening of relaxation.
ReplyDeleteThanks Peter! The end product keeps us going :)
DeleteFor me, the hardest part of getting house repairs done is hiring the right people for the right price. I find it amazing that they manage to build whole houses from scratch for around £500K in Grand Designs.
ReplyDeleteIt can be tricky isn't it? Lots of researching and asking around is needed :)
DeleteOh my! I am tired of body just reading about all your work! Holy cow! But can't wait to see the results!
ReplyDeleteHome renovation process is really tough for all people. If you have garden and want to use it in right way then you can build conservatory for you to spend time.
ReplyDelete